VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study by Lewis was to examine the concept of character in childhood and in adolescence via use of a biopsychosocial model of behavior. METHODOLOGY: This study involved a non-experimental exploration of the concept of character in relation to the maladaptive adolescent. Character was defined as a relatively stable pattern of functioning that could become dysfunctional in the maladjusted individual, and its formation was considered to be attributable to biological, cognitive, psychological and social factors. The term 'character' was paralleled with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - Third Edition term 'personality', as referring to an enduring pattern of perceptions and thoughts about the environment and about oneself. A personality disorder was considered to occur when the personality trait or pattern of thought became inflexible and maladaptive, causing distress or impaired functioning. FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: The author suggested that the concept of character or personality be redefined in terms of the biopsychosocial factors affecting its style of functioning. The assessment of the adolescent with personality problems must take into account the various influences from each context that might play a part in the development of the behavioral problem. Biological influences include genetic and neurological factors; societal factors involve unemployment and poverty, social policy, discrimination, health care, family structure, historical events and population shifts; psychological factors are often influenced by the other two types of factors, and include problems with self-esteem, anxiety, mistrust and conflict. One must consider all these various influences when researching the antecedents of clinical disorders in adolescents. The author examined delinquency as an example of the need to include a multifactor model of disorder, citing literature that found that a combination of biological, psychological and social factors contributed to violent delinquency. Another example employed was that of depression, with a connection being drawn between genetic, societal, psychodynamic and biological mechanisms that could result in depressed mood. The author concluded that the link between psychodynamic, social and biological factors and their influence upon the psychic structure of the adolescent involves a complex and interactive process. AUTHOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS: The author stressed the need for research to move beyond the single theory approach, to include a complex biopsychosocial model of human behavior. EVALUATION: This paper provides an interesting examination of the need for a more complex approach to the study of human behavior. Despite the author's sometimes brief and superficial treatment of the issues, his primary and highly important contribution is the delineation of a model that should be used in future research in the field of behavioral disorders. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) N1 - Call Number: F-63, AB-63 KW - Child Development KW - Child Behavior KW - Child Problem Behavior KW - Behavior Causes KW - Behavior Effects KW - Biopsychosocial Factors KW - Model KW - Biological Factors KW - Juvenile Development KW - Juvenile Behavior KW - Juvenile Problem Behavior KW - Juvenile Delinquency KW - Juvenile Violence KW - Juvenile Offender KW - Violence Causes KW - Delinquency Causes KW - Youth Development KW - Sociocultural Factors KW - Offender Characteristics KW - Character Development KW - Personality Development KW - Offender Personality
Language: en
", language="en", issn="0065-2008", doi="", url="http://dx.doi.org/" }